Nordwind flight's narrow escape after cabin decompression drama
A decompression incident in the cabin of a Russian aircraft, coupled with a sudden pressure drop, nearly culminated in disaster. From whence it took off, the Nordwind Airlines jet bound for Orenburg was compelled to return to the Moscow airport.
Shortly after departing from Sheremetyevo Airport, the Nordwind Airlines Airbus A321 sent out a distress signal, as reported by Artem Korenyako from the Federal Aviation Transport Agency on Telegram.
The passenger aircraft took off at 5:27 AM Eastern Time on May 6, charting its path. However, roughly 40 minutes into the flight, a critical malfunction emerged. Decompression in the cockpit led to a sharp drop in pressure. The crew promptly initiated emergency procedures.
The aircraft was then forced to descend from 32,808 feet to 9,842 feet. This emergency maneuver caused oxygen masks to deploy, and the plane momentarily vanished from radar screens, heightening the anxiety of flight controllers.
Rising concerns over the condition of Russian aircraft
The "Kyiv Post" has noted the declining state of Russian commercial airlines, exacerbated by Western sanctions. An analysis published by the "Wall Street Journal" in February, conducted by the German research firm Jacdec, revealed that Russian airlines experienced 74 in-flight malfunctions in 2023, more than twice the number reported in the previous year. Additionally, the Russian Federal Aviation Transport Agency identified over 400 pre-flight equipment defects, including issues with engines, landing gear, flaps, software, and hydraulic systems.
The "Moscow Times" disclosed that ten significant malfunctions were recorded in January alone, with six engine defects identified in the first quarter of 2024.
